The invention relates generally to circuit boards and, more particularly, to systems for retaining circuit boards.
Many different electronic devices are in common use today. Typically an electronic device includes a circuit board. Generally, unless a circuit board has a peculiar size or shape, it is cost effective to fabricate the circuit board in groups or arrays of identical circuit boards. The arrays include pre-routed slots between the circuit boards with tabs of circuit board material holding the boards together. It is common to populate the circuit boards with electrical components while the boards are joined together in the array, and the circuit boards are then separated from the array by a machine that cuts the tabs joining the circuit boards.
During the population and separation of the circuit boards, the array must be held or restrained from moving. The populated boards must also be supported after separation from the array to prevent damage to the circuit board or the components. If there are no holes or other retaining features provided in the circuit boards, nest pins are placed in the pre-routed slots surrounding each circuit board to prevent movement of the circuit boards. However, there is no standard width for the pre-routed slots, and the slots can vary in width from one circuit board array to another.
A universal fixture which may be used to process different circuit board arrays is desired. Conventional universal fixtures require different diameter nest pins for circuit board arrays that have different pre-routed slot widths. The need for different diameter nest pins and changing the nest pins for different circuit board arrays increases manufacturing time and costs for manufacturing circuit boards.